Schønwandt was principal guest conductor of the Théâtre National de La Monnaie from 1984 to 1987, and held the same post with the Danish National Symphony Orchestra from 1987 to 2000. Schønwandt has also served as chief conductor of the Berliner Sinfonie-Orchester from 1992 to 1998. In May 2009, Schønwandt was named principal conductor of the Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic[2] In August 2010 he formally took up the post, which he held until the orchestra's dissolution in 2013.

From 2015 Schønwandt is principal conductor of the Opéra Orchestre National de Montpellier in France.